This invention relates to systems for online gift exchanging and, more particularly, to systems for electronically forwarding an online gift from a first recipient to a secondary recipient prior to shipping the gift to the first recipient.
Gift giving is typically a very personal experience. In the conventional gift marketplace, a gift giver travels from store to store and finally selects a gift from a variety of gift items to match the recipient""s own personal desires and needs. Once the gift is selected by the gift giver and purchased from the store vendor, the gift giver presents the selected gift to the recipient. Upon discovering what the gift is, the recipient may be overjoyed with delight or may be less than satisfied with the gift selection. In many cases, the less than satisfied situation is because the gift giver did not completely understand or perceive the recipient""s desires and needs. Thus, the recipient is forced to physically return the gift to the vendor in exchange for another gift or a gift certificate.
In the electronic or online gift marketplace, the gift giver is no longer required to physically travel from store to store. As a result, the gift giving process has become a bit easier in that electronic commerce, commonly called xe2x80x9ce-commercexe2x80x9d, takes place across large data communications networks, such as the global Internet, and can be accomplished from one location using a single network device, such as a computer. Accordingly, in the electronic or online gift marketplace, the gift giver can search for the recipient""s gift by browsing information at particular network locations (e.g., websites) using a conventional piece of software called a browser running on the computer. Many websites offer the ability for the gift giver to electronically purchase a gift item online. Once the item is selected online, a list of items selected to be purchased is usually maintained in what is commonly known as an online shopping cart. In such a situation, the gift giver can shop for and select the gift in a more efficient way.
However, the gains in shopping efficiency when conducted online are still coupled with the same exchange problems when compared to conventional shopping and gift giving. In an online situation, the recipient still must receive the gift and physically return it when they are not satisfied with the gift. In other words, a gift exchange still requires the recipient to get the gift and physically return it, resulting in continued inefficiencies. Additionally, if the recipient desires to forward the gift to another, the recipient is still required to physically receive the gift prior to forwarding it to the next recipient.
Accordingly, there is a need for a system that allows for efficient acceptance, exchange, and forwarding of an item, such as an online gift, that does not require the intended recipient to receive an undesired item prior to exchanging or forwarding the item.
Methods, systems and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention overcome the shortcomings of existing systems by permitting efficient online acceptance and customized exchanging and forwarding of an online gift. The intended recipient of the online gift accepts, exchanges or forwards the online gift before the online gift is shipped from the gift""s vendor. Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, include a method for electronically forwarding an online gift from an intended recipient to a secondary recipient prior to shipping the online gift to the intended recipient. Order information related to the online gift is retrieved and displayed to the intended recipient. If the intended recipient wants to forward the online gift to the secondary recipient, contact information on the secondary recipient is received from the initial recipient so that the secondary recipient can then be notified about the online gift prior to physically shipping the online gift to the intended recipient. In this manner, the process of forwarding a gift is more efficiently accomplished.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture, as embodied and broadly described herein, describe a computer system within a networked environment for electronically forwarding an online gift prior to shipping the online gift from a vendor of the online gift to an intended recipient. The system has a memory storage device that maintains order information related to the online gift. The system also includes a processor, which is coupled to the memory storage device. The processor is operative to receive a request from the intended recipient. The request is typically the intended recipient""s response to being notified about the online gift. The processor is also operative to retrieve order information related to the online gift from the memory storage device and then display the order information to the intended recipient. The processor is further operative to determine whether the recipient wants to forward the online gift to a secondary recipient. If the recipient wants to forward the online gift to the secondary recipient, the processor is also operative to receive contact information (such as the email address) related to the secondary recipient and notify the secondary recipient about the online gift.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, methods, systems, and articles of manufacture, as embodied and broadly described herein, describe a computer-readable medium, which contains instructions for electronically forwarding an online gift prior to shipping the online gift from a vendor of the online gift to an intended recipient. When the instructions are executed, a request is received from the intended recipient. The request is related to the online gift and is typically the intended recipient""s response to being notified about the online gift. Next, order information related to the online gift is retrieved and displayed to the intended recipient. If the intended recipient wants to forward the online gift to a secondary recipient, contact information related to the secondary recipient is received before the secondary recipient is notified about the online gift.